Electrolytic apparatus



2 Sheets-Sheet .1.

(No Model.)

E. MOTZ. ELEGTROLYTIG APPARATUS.

No. 592,973. Patented Nov. 2, 1897.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

E.' MO-TZ. ELEGTROLYTIG APPARATUS.

No. 592,973. Patented Nov. 2, 1897,

:@UNrrnn STATES c nrnivr Ormes.

EMANUEL MOTZ, OF BREWER MINE, SOUTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR OE ONE- HALF TO HENRY F. WELCH, OF CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA.

ELEcTRoLYTrc APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forn'iing` part of Letters Patent No. 592,973, dated November 2, 189'?. Application iilcd .Tinne 26,1897. Serial No. 642,434. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern: employed shall be decomposed and its active Be it lrnown that I, EMANUEL MOTZ, of element be set free at the most advantageous Brewer Mine, in the county of Chesterfield part of the apparatus to eifect the separaand State of South Carolina,vhave invented tion and deposit of the precious metal and 55 certain new and useful Improvements in Elecafterward be reunited with its hase to form trolytic Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the original chemical, which will he again disthe following to be a full, clear, and exact seminated for the purpose stated and subdescription of the invention, such as will ensequently reunited with the hase, and so on able others skilled in the art to which it apthroughout the operation of the apparatus. 6o 1c pertains to make and use the same. A further object is to so construct the ap- My invention relates to an improved elecparatus as to overcome the disastrous effects trolytic apparatus for the separation of met of scouring of the cathode hy the electrolyte als from their ores and solutions. and pulp.` l v Heretofore in the construction and opera- A further object is to produce an electro- 65 tion of electrolytic apparatus for recovering lytic apparatus which shall be economical in precious metals from their ores much diflioperation and maintenance and cheap to culty and loss have been occasioned on account construct. 1 of serious inadequacy of the mechanical con- A further object is to so construct the apstruction employed and the consequent inyparatus that an adequate agitation of the 7o zo efficiency of the chemical agencies as used electrolyte, zc., will be insured by grat-ity with such apparatus. Among the defects and without the use of an independent agiwhich have been hitherto encountered may tator. be mentioned the liability of scouring action A further obj ect is to so construct the apupon the cathode, with the result that portions paratus that its operation in the separation 7 5 of the metallic deposit thereon have been reand recovery of metal shall he simultaneous moved and carried off with the electrolyte and continuous. and tailings as they leave the apparatus. A further object is to construct the appae Much difficulty has also arisen on accountof ratus in such manner as to render the stopinadequate, incomplete, and imperfect deping of its operation for cleaning purposes 8c 3o composition of the chemical electrolyte and unnecessary.

the consequent ineffectual actions and reac- A further object is to produce an electrotions of the chemicals upon the electrodes lytic apparatus for the separation and recovof the apparatus and the material being ery of metals which shall be simple in contreated for the recovery of valuable constitstruction, which can be operated by persons 5 tents. On account of the imperfect conhaving no technical knowledge of electrolystruction of prior apparatus strong` chemical sis, which shall be safe from unwarranted insolutions have been resorted to, but even with terference', which shall operate mechanically, such large and expensive use of chemicals chemically, and electricallyin the continuous the results heretofore accomplishedhave been and simultaneous separation and deposition 9o no unsatisfactory on account ofthe incomplete f of metals, andwhich shall be effectual in all separation and recovery of the precious metal respects in the performance of its functions. contained in the ore being treated. y With these objects in view the invention One object of my invention is to construct 4consists inthe method of treating ore for the an electrolytlc apparatus in such manner as separation and recovery of metals, consisting 45 to insure the perfect and complete actions in reducing or crushing` the ore, mixing it and reactions of the chemical electrolyte upon with an electrolyte, passing the ore and elecand with the electrodes ofthe apparatus and trolyte through channels having contracted the metal under treatment. outlet ends and having opposing walls com- A further object is to so construct an elecposed of anodes and cathodes, and passing an roo 5o trolytic apparatus that the chemical actions electric current through said anodes and cathand reactions shall be such that the chemical odes and from one to the other.

c the sluice.

My invention further consists in an electrolytic apparatus consisting of a frame and a series of undulatory communicating pas` sages or channels, each having a contracted outlet and each having opposing Walls composed of an anode and acathode, respectively.

My invention further consists in certain other novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

l'n the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view illustrating my improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section.

A represents a frame or sluice composed of any desired number of removable sections connected together by means of battons c, and each section is of such size as can be readily and conveniently handled by one man. The bottom of the frame or sluice is preferably composed of Wooden slats dovetailed together. The abutting ends of the sides of each section of the frame or sluice are made With vertical grooves which aline to form sockets of, which communicatewith a transverse channel or groove Z2 in the bottom of In these sockets and grooves asphalt or other packing material will be poured, whereby to make a tight joint between the sections.

, The upper face of the bottom of the frame or sluice is made undulatory or corrugated, and this may be readily accomplished by means of Wooden blocks 3, having their upper faces curved or convex. On the curved face of each block 3 an amalgamated copper plate fi is disposed, each copper plate being convex in conformity with the face of the block and constituting a negative electrode or a cathode of the apparatus. seen that a series of the curved cathodes Will form a corrugated or undulatory bottom to the frame or sluice. The adjacent ends of the respective cathode-plates do not abut, but are separated slightly to form transverse grooves 5,in which mercury is placed,\vhereb y to form proper electrical connection between said cathode-plates, and also to constitute packing between them.

The spaces between the end cathode-plates of abutting sections of the apparatus are 1n ade to form mercury-Wells, in Awhich excess of mercury in the apparatus may collect without electrically connecting the plates of one set With those of another.

A strip 6, preferably of wood or other nonconducting material, is disposed alongside the inner face of each side 7 of the frame or sluice, and each strip 6 is made at its upper edge with a series of convex shoulders 8, located above the curved blocks 3 and the cathodes thereon. Each curved shoulder S is diagonal or inclined in general direction, so as to be eccentric with the curve of the block 3 beneath it. The positive electrodes or the anodes 9, preferably of lead, are placed on the curved shoulders or supports 3 of the respecvrespective lead anode-plates.

Thus it will be tive strips 6, so as to be disposed over and eccentric to. the cathode-plates in the bottom of the frame or sluice. From this construction it Will be seen that the anode and cathode plates constitute broken or interrupted communicating passages or channels, each being contracted in size at its outlet end and forming a nozzle. The frame or sluice Will be disposed in an inclined position, so that when the electrolyte and ore are inserted they will iiow by gravity through the passage or channel, and on account of the peculiar formation of said passage the electrolyte and ore or pulp Willbe effectuallyagitated by gravity Without the aid of auxiliary agitatin g means and Without the scouring eifect heretofore encountered upon the cathode-plate. By contracting the outlets of the respective communicating passages the force of the flow from one passage to the next will be increased and the agitation of the electrolyte and pulp will be proportionately augmented.

As the pulp passes from one passage to another the electrolyte `With Which it is mixed will back up into the spaces 10 between the respective anode-plates and serve as seals to prevent the escape of the active element or gas set free during the operation of the apparatus. Y

The sides 7 of the frame or sluice are provided in their inner faces, at` their upper edges, With recesses 11, in Which tenons 12 at the upper ends of a series of blocks 13 enter and in which said blocks are supported. The blocks 13 are of proper length to extend to or nearly to the more elevated ends of the A conductor la is secured to each anode and block, extended upwardly alongside the block and has its free end disposed in a recess 15 made in the upper edge of said block. A longitudinally-disposed pipe, rod, or other suitable conductor 17 is disposed in the recesses 15 of the respective blocks of each section of the sluice or apparatus, so as to make electrical contact With the conductors 14. The pipes or conductors 17 are held in position at one end of the respective sections of the sluice by means of a iixed cross-bar 1S, secured at its respective ends to sides 7 of the sluice. At the other end of each section of the sluice a transverse bar 19 is removably disposed, be`

arm 24 is secured to each section of the sluice against which the respective transverse bars 19 make electrical contact, and said springarms are electrically connected with a common conductor 25, the latter being connected with the positive terminal of an electric gen- In operating the apparatus to carry my im-A proved process into effect the ore containing the metal will first be reduced by crushing or otherwise into finely-divided particles and then mixed with a solvent in solution and fed in the upper end of the sluice (the electrical circuit having been closed) and allowed to pass by gravity through the channel therein formed by the serial arrangement of nozzles. In the passage of the pulp through the apparatos larger particles of gold will be caught mechanically by the copper cathode-plates and be promptly anialgamated thereon. -The finer particles which Will in effect be held in suspension by the solution and are forced upward against the anode of the succeeding nozzle and thus brought and held in the zone of intensest action of the solvent agents are thereby quickly dissolved and carried down to the cathode by the electric current. After the pulp leaves the apparatus the cyanid solution Will be separated from the exhausted ore in any suitable manner and used over again in the apparatus in the manner above explained.

By the construction and arrangement of the apparatus the electrodes can be readily removed for removing the metallic deposits on the cathode-plates Without stopping the operations of the entire apparatus.

Various slight changes might be made in the details of construction of my invention Without departing from the spirit thereof 0r limiting its scope, and hence I do not Wish to limit myself to the precise details herein set forth.

Having fully described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In an electrolytic apparatus, the combination with a trough or sluice, of a series of curved communicating passages, each passage being tapering from its inlet to its outlet end and the opposing Walls of each passage being formed by cathode and anode plates respectively, substantially as set forth.

2. In an electrolytic apparatus, the combination with a trough or sluice, of an undulatory passage extending from one end to the other of said trough or sluice and having its opposing Walls madel of cathode and anode plates respectively, said undulatory passage being subdivided into a series of smaller communicat-ing passages, each being tapering longitudinally from the inlet to the outlet end thereof, substantially as set forth.

3. In an electrolytic apparatus, the combination with a frame and a series of convex cathode-plates in the bottom thereof, of inclined anode-plates disposed above the cathode-plates and having concave under faces so as to form a series of communicating passages tapering from their inlet to their outlet ends, substantially as set forth.

' 4. In an electrolytic apparatus, the combination with a frame or sluice and convex blocks disposed in the bottom of said frame or sluice, of a series of convex cathode-plates disposed on said blocks,strips disposed Within said frame or sluice and having curved upper edges and anode-plates supported on said curved upper edges and conforming thereto so as to have convex under faces, said anode and cathode plates being so disposed relatively to each other as to form a series of curved communicating tapering passages,and means for including said anode and cathode plates in circuit With an electric generator, substantially as set forth.

5. In an electrolytic apparatus, the combination with a sluice composed of insulated sections, of a series of curved communicating passages in each section, each passage having opposing Walls composed of anode and cathode plates, the adjacent passages of the respective sections being in communication with each other, substantially as set forth.

6. In an electrolytic apparatus, the combination with a frame or sluice, and a series of convex blocks located therein, of a series of convex cathode-plates located on said blocks and spaced apart, mercury-connectors between the adjacent edges of said plates, a bar electrically connected Wit-h one of said mercury-connectors, a conductor attached to said bar, anode-plates disposed over the cathodeplates and means for including the anodeplates in an electric circuit, substantially as set forth.

7. In an electrolytic apparatus, the combination with a frame or sluice, of a series of convex cathode-plates located in the bottom of said frame or sluice, a series of anodeplates having curved under faces and disposed above said cathode-plates, blocks secured to the anode-plates and supported in the frame or sluice, each block having a recess in its upper edge, a series of conductors connected with said anode-plates and terminating in said recesses in the blocks, a conducting-rod disposed in said recesses on the first mentioned conductors and having a notch therein, a cross-bar passing through said notch, a conductor With which said crossbar is electrically connected, locking devices for securing the cross-bar to the frame or sluice, and a conductor connected with the cathode-plates, substantially as set forth.

8. In an electrolytic apparatus, a frame or sluice composed of a series of sections, the

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abutting 'ends of thesidesfand 'bottoms of the 'j sections havinggrooves, fpaekfng materialien said grooves, and @series-0f teenfilade-.pletes and 'a series 'of copemtfng anode-p1ases ifn eaeh section, fsaid anodeeand Vcalh'odeplates being nso ydisposed .relaively :to each other ias to #form .a :series of Etap@ringv communicating passages, Isubstantial'lyes set d'orlth.

9. y11u-2m eleetrolytieapparatus, Lthe combination with a frame 'oi-sluwe, ofseveral'sets of anodelpletes and several sets `of edthode plates insaid :frame or s'lu'ce, .means forli@ eludng Aeach fset e'Lf anode and 'eathode'p'lates in lam electric feireuit :and mercury-Wells between the respective sets of cathode-'plates 'and out of `ve1eetricalil:eenfneeflon athelfewth, Vsubst@ntiavlhy as set: forth.

in testimony 'Where'f TI have signed this :speci.feauion in ithe .presence of wvo subscbking Witnesses.

AMTZ. Witnesses:

1R. S. FERGUSON,

C. S. DRURY. 

